Driver fatigue, rather than excess alcohol, was the cause of a road accident that claimed the life of a young York man, an inquest heard.

Allen Grimes, aged 26, of Pulleyn Drive, York, died when his Vauxhall Cavalier left the A59 road near Green Hammerton and hit a tree.

He was returning from a party with workmates where he had been celebrating his promotion, the inquest heard.

Harrogate Coroner Jeremy Cave said Mr Grimes had been in a pub in York before the party. He was with a friend who said Mr Grimes appeared to be tired.

Reading from a police report into the accident, Mr Cave described how forensic examinations showed that Mr Grimes' vehicle had hit a grass verge on the A59.

He had tried to straighten up, but over-steered, which led him to lose control and collide with the tree on the other side of the road.

He was not wearing his seat belt, but the police report described the effect of this as "negligible".

Tests showed the levels of alcohol in his blood to be low, but the levels in his urine were high.

Mr Cave added: "The police report states that the accident was not so much caused by alcohol as by driver fatigue.

"The incident has a lot of the signs of being caused by fatigue."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death, caused by head injuries.

After the inquest, Mr Grimes' father, Roger, said: "I am satisfied enough with the verdict as the only person who knows what really happened is Allen.

"As for the drinking, they will only have been shandies, as that is all he would ever drink if he was driving."